Tractor-hitch for harvesting-machines.



c. PEARSON.

- TRACTOR HITCH FOR HARVESTING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 12. I916. Lgfi 7gfl Patwted May 21,1918.

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TMfiTOIlt-HITCH FOR HARVES'I'ING-lilllfiCHl-lhl mascara Application filed January .12, 1am Serial. No. 71,635.

life all whom, it may concern:

I Be it known that I, CHARLES Pearson, a citizen of the United States, residing at (lhicago, in the county ofCoolr and State of I Illinois, have invented certain new and use fol improvements in 'llractordclitches for Harvesting-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

lldy invention relates to tractor bitches for harvesting machines, and especially totrao tor hitches for headers, header binders, or the like proved draft connections between the drawn dill ' are flexible in such a manner that the Iiiaill machine and the tractor whereby the draft is exerted in a manner to maintain the drawn machine in substantially the desired relation to the tractor and thereby minimize the amount of steeringrequired to be done by the operator riding on the trailing machine. A more specific object of my invention is to provide improved draft connections which chines may turn readily in the field and conform to the uneven surface of the ground, at the same time that the turning movement of the tractor is imparted to the header in an efficient manner.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In thcsedrawings: I

Figure 1 is a plan View of a tractor and header equipped with my improvement;

Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation of a part of the mechanism shown in Fig: 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the draft member connected to the harvesting machine.

In the construction illustrated, it Will be notedithat a header hinder or standard form is shown comprising a binding mechanism 1 mounted on an axle 2, which is in' turn mounted at opposite ends upon a main Wheel- 3 and transport Wheel a. As in the usual construction, a grain platter 5 is disposed across the front of the frame and adjustably mounted on the axle 2 so that it may be used to out grain of varying heights through suitable adjusting mechanism (not shown). At

mun-um fipccificetioncf Letters IFatcut;

Patented May We, Timid.

the rear of the frame the usual longitudi nally disposed pipe 6 is provided, its rear end being supported upon a tiller or steering Wheel 7 controllable through a tiller member 8 operable from the operators platform As in the usual construction, the controlling mechanism for the header or header binder is brought back to a point adjacent the op erators platform, but these connections have been omitted as they are Well-known and have nothing to do with the draft conned tlons. It has for its object to provide improved means whereby a arresting machine; such,

ln-my improved construction forwardly and slightly downward y extending arms Til are rigidly connected to the axle? on opposite sides of the main wheel 3., and to these arms 10 are pivotally connected at 11 the up turned rear ends of horizontally disposed forwardly extending draft members 12 and 13 of which the member 12 is disposed sub stantially in the line oi"? draft, While the member 13 is disposed diagonally the stub bleward direction, both members being; so disposed With respect to the platform that the horizontal portion thereof underlies the platform. As shown, these members 12 Ill and 13 are extended slightly fiubblewardly and their fronts are extended slightly upward and connected at it, these members also being braced at points intermediate their ends by suitable substantially ll'Sha-Pfld horizontally disposed brace members 15 and 16 in such a manner as to produce an exceedingly rigid construction. Carried upon the front end 14 of the rigid draft member thus formed is a pivoted clevis member 17. to

which is pivotally connected the rear end of a draft connection or link 18 which extends forward from its point of connection thereto 1n the line of draft and is connected at its front end at 19 to the draft bar 20 eta tractor 21,, which latter may be of any desired construction.

In the operation ofr the device it is evident that as the tractor 21 is drawn for-luc- Ward in the field the d1-aft.\vill be exerted on opposite sldes of the main wheel 3 of the header or header binder in such a manner as to maintain the latter machine in the de- (lraft and substantially in the desired trailing relation relative to the tractor, with the main-Wheel following in the track of the grainward tractor wheel. l'lbviously,

header may at all times be steered by the sired position transversely of the line of 1% operator-riding thereon, and he may throw the fs'ame into or out of the grain byrotatablemovement of the tiller 8,'and by the ..nse of the samememben may expedite the a turning movement of the machine at the corners of the field. .In makin also to be noted that through t e relatively dong tongue-like members '12 and 13, the turning movement of the tractor is transto .mitted to the trailing machine at a point a I substantial distance in front of the main wheel in such a manner as to greatly facilitate and speed up the turning movement of the traili machine. It will further be noted thalfixy shaping the members 12 and 13 as shown they may pass under the platform 5 without conflicting therewith or without in any way interfering with the adjustment of the latter. Attention is also di to the fact that the entire mechanism may be attached to or removed from a header or header binder of standard construction with great facility, it only being necessary to attach or remove the bolt connections 14, whereupon the header may be operated as a tractor drawn or push machine.

While I have in this application specifically described one embodiment which my ac invention may assume in practice. it is, of

course, to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific form illustrated, butthat it may be modified to assume various other forms without departing from its 85 spirit, it being my intention to include all such modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

. at I claim as new is: 1. In combination, a harvesting machine '60 having a main wheel journaled thereon, a platform disposed in front of said main wheel, and a rigid draft connection connected to said harvesting machine on opposite sides of said main wheel and extending forwardly beneath said platform.

2. In combination, a harvesting machine having a main wheel journaled thereon, a platform disposed in front of said main wheel, and rigid draft connections pivotally '60 connected to said harvesting machine on op-,

posite sides of said main wheel and extending forwardly beneath said platform.

' 3. In combination, a harvesting machine having an axle, and a main wheel journaled 65 thereon, a platform disposed in front of said a turn it is main wheel, and a plurality of rigidly connected draft members pivotally connected to said axle at points on opposite sides of said main whee and extending forwardly beneath said platform.

4. In combmation, a harvesting machine having an axle and a main wheel journaled thereon, a latform disposed in front of said main wheel, and a plurality of transversely braced, spaced draft members pivotally connected to said axle at points on opposite sides of said main wheel disposed beneath said platform and extending to a point substantially in front of said main wheel.

5, In combination, a harvesting machine having an axleand a main Wheel journaled thereon, a platform disposed in front of said main wheel, and a plurality of transversely braced, spaced draft members pivotally connected to .said'axle at oints on opposite sides of said main wheel disposed beneath said platform and extending to a point slightly stubbleward from sai main wheel.

6. In combination, a harvesting machine having a main wheel journaled thereon, a platform disposed in front of said main wheel, and a rigid draft member pivotally connected to said harvesting machine on opposite sides of said main wheel having its front and disposed substantially in front of the same and a horizontal portion disposed beneath said platform.

7. In combination, a harvesting machine having a main wheel journaled thereon, a platform disposed in front of said main wheel, and a plurality of rigidly connected draft members pivotally connected to said harvesting machine at points on opposite sides of said main wheel having their front ends substantially in front of the same and having a depressed portion disposed beneath said platform.

8. In combination, a having a main wheel journaled thereon, a p atform disposed in front of said main w eel, and a draft member including a plurality of rigidly connected draft members ivotally connected to said harvesting machine at points on opposite sides of said main wheel, said member having a substantially horizontal portion disposed'beneath said platform and a forwardly and upwardly extendin front end.

. In testimony w ereof I afix my signature.

- CHARLES PEARSON.

harvesting machine I 

